Pac-12 football picks Jacob Thorpe

Two marquee matchups in the Beaver State this week will pit all four of the conference’s ranked teams against a similarly regarded peer. It’s UCLA’s turn to test itself against Oregon, while Stanford has a chance to prove that the Utah loss was a fluke against newly ranked Oregon State.

Elsewhere, the game between Utah and USC could have major bowl implications for the loser, while UW and Arizona should coast to wins, barring a major slip-up.

Utah at USC, USC by 7: Kyle Whittingham’s defense will be ready to stop an inconsistent Trojans offense. Travis Wilson plays and shows no signs of injury. Utah 21-17.

UCLA at Oregon, Oregon by 23: The size of the line in this matchup speaks to just how good the Ducks have looked this season. My gut says that Vegas doesn’t think people will bet a bigger line against a Top-15 team, but UO could win this one big against a Bruins squad that just played physical Stanford. Oregon 56-21.

Arizona at Colorado, Arizona by 14 1/2: Freshman QB Sefo Liufau will be a good one, but the Buffaloes aren’t there yet. Arizona 31-17.

Stanford at Oregon St., Stanford by 4: Two of the conference’s best- coached teams meet in what has to be a close game. Oregon State 31-28.

Cal at Washington, Washington by 24 1/2: The Huskies finally get a break after a brutal October schedule. They’ll play tight in a game that is never in doubt but surprisingly close. Washington 35-21.